Since you lost the $20 the honorable thing to do would be to pay it to me. However, for logistical reasons it is not practical. So in lieu of that please donate the $20 to your favorite charity, you cannot count yourself or immediate family as your favorite charity", in my name "Buddahfan".

Since you lost the $20 the honorable thing to do would be to pay it to me. However, for logistical reasons it is not practical. So in lieu of that please donate the $20 to your favorite charity, you cannot count yourself or immediate family as your favorite charity", in my name "Buddahfan".

I trust that you will do this.

Lol. Ok, Buddahfan. Even though I’m not sure I should be totally convinced * that Amir poster isn’t rocking your bedroom wall -- not that there’s anything wrong with that -- you name the charity and I’ll paypal ‘em twenty bucks.

(*of course, I will take your word for it. It’d probably be bad karma of a sort to fib in the name of ‘Buddahfan’, after all ...)

Lol. Ok, Buddahfan. Even though I’m not sure I should be totally convinced * that Amir poster isn’t rocking your bedroom wall -- not that there’s anything wrong with that -- you name the charity and I’ll paypal ‘em twenty bucks.

(*of course, I will take your word for it. It’d probably be bad karma of a sort to fib in the name of ‘Buddahfan’, after all ...)

Thank you. You are a good loser.

Let me just give you the quick and dirty story on why I support Johnson so strongly

He went to Westchester HIgh in Los Angeles where he was Mr. Basketball in CA. I follow the Comets - Ed Azzam continues to do a marvelous job as their head coach.

Then Johnson was drafted by the Pistons. At the time that he was drafted by them the Pistons had been my favorite team for over 50 years.

So combine the Winchester Comets and Detroit Pistons along with how well he played with the Comets so I became a fan of his. Then the Pistons sent him to the D-league where in his second year there he played for the Sioux Falls Sky Force. Johnson went on to become a first team all time Sky Force member.

So as a Pistons fan I was really excited about his future. The Pistons 4 years ago were aging and while still good they had no other athletic player other than Johnson.

So because of all of the stuff I wrote above I became a big fan of his and he became my second favorite player (Billups was #1) on my favorite team.

Then after he played really well from Jan 08 - Mar 08 the Pistons screwed him and brought in Theo Ratliff to use in the playoffs.

Then in 2008-09 Curry and the Pistons continued to screw him in a number of ways but continuing to never coach him, by publicly lying to him.

So at that point he became a cause in basketball justice. I case of supporting someone who deserved to be supported. He had enough bashers by now so it became a question of trying to balance the opinions as well as a cause.

Now this year Triano had him coached and played him basically consistently for all 82 games. He responded with improved numbers across the board but the public doubters are still there. Those who believe that he will never be a starter much less a starter on a good team.

I totally disagree with that assessment for reasons that I have previously posted.

So I will continue to hype is game, not that that much needs hyping until the basektball injustice is rectified and he becomes a regular starter who is incorporated into the offense.

So you believe he will be a starter on a good team because he deserves it?

Don't get me wrong, I love the potential that Amir Johnson has and love that he has a work ethic to go with that potential. But this is the NBA, there are a number of guys with potential and a strong work ethic out there. And just because at some point they rocked the D-League and were then served Basketball Injustice by their team doesn't mean they're destined to be a star.

So you believe he will be a starter on a good team because he deserves it?

Don't get me wrong, I love the potential that Amir Johnson has and love that he has a work ethic to go with that potential. But this is the NBA, there are a number of guys with potential and a strong work ethic out there. And just because at some point they rocked the D-League and were then served Basketball Injustice by their team doesn't mean they're destined to be a star.

Not because he deserves it. Those are your words.

He will be a starter on a good NBA team because I have faith that he get the coaching and opportunity in the future to develop his game to the point that he will earn it.

There is a big difference between what you are saying and what my position is.

In my opinion no one deserves anything in this world except an equal opportunity to become all they can be. What they chose to do with that opportunity is entirely up to them.

He in my opinion has not been given a fair opportunity given his natural talent level and I believe that once he is given that opportunity that he will avail himself of it and succeed at the level that I have suggested.

No one deserves anything except an equal opportunity.

Yes I am sure that that are many other athletes that have been in his position and some got that opportunity and availed themselves of it. Some got the opportunity and did not avail themselves of it. Finally. some never got the opportunity.

So I am fighting for his right to be given an equal opportunity which I believe that the Pistons did not give him and now Triano and the Raptors are starting to give him.

I could fight for all the other athletes in the same boat as him, but I just chose to fight for him for the reasons that I have previously stated above but mostly because I have limited time and other things that I am involved with so he is the only one I spend my time on currently to fight for their right to an equal opportunity to be the best player that they can be.

“a good loser”. Lol. I’ve been called better things ... but I guess I’ve been called worse, as well.

Interesting to hear how you became a fan of Amir. I get it. I’m trying to recall if you posted on RR before Amir got here ... or was it him coming to the Raptors that made you a Raptors fan? No matter. Hopefully we sign him to stay around for a while yet.

And fwiw ... I dragged a poster of Guy Lafleur around that I had since I was a kid (it got kind of ratty by the end) to decorate whichever wall needed a little ‘bleu-blanc-rouge’, up until only about ten or so years ago. So ... being a fan of a player is something I’m not unfamiliar with.

Pass along a place for me to send that twenty to any time. Cheers.

I am a Johnson and DeRozan fan. I have never claimed to be anything else with respect to the Raptors except a commentator on subjects related to them because I like to see my favorite players play on winning teams.

I am a Johnson and DeRozan fan. I have never claimed to be anything else with respect to the Raptors except a commentator on subjects related to them because I like to see my favorite players play on winning teams.

hahaha i think we're getting a bit off-topic here.
no one in their right mind would trade the chance to pick John wall for Bosh, i mean for now at least. The potential to have the next "Lebron" or "Jordan" is a bit too overwhelming right now and the nets wont trade that for Bosh. I think Lebron was the only one who had the 1st pick hype and actually made an impact right after he was drafted.

im not sure what you both are trying to get at but both are correct, depending on the context. amir no doubt can be a starter. i mean any player in the league can be starters. even banks i think even started once with the raps. even martin. i think ws511 is thinking is starting=all-star which amir can never be. he has potential, but he wont be able to carry a team. he cant really take anybody off the dribble, but he can score 5 feet away from the basket. i like amir's game too, but he's more of a poor man's dwight howard. he can score down low, rebound and block shots but he doesnt have dwight's power. i think that's why he's thrived playin with bargs because bargs plays more on the outside and that allows amir to operate inside. Definitely want him back next year but im pretty sure some team will offer him a bloated contract which the raps wont (or will not) be able to match.